Nymphadora Ponds

I'm still reeling from what's happened.

I've been thinking about how Pomona basically taught everyone who's gone to Hogwarts in the last fifty years. And you've tended to every sniffly nose and hurt stomach for just as long. Minerva'd been around for even longer than that, of course.

It's almost like as long as all three of you were there, well, it was Hogwarts. A constant despite all that'd happened. Like the North Star. And the three of you, there for such a long time, together

And here come the waterworks again.

I am so deeply sorry.

You will come by and visit, won't you? Not just to check up on Bap, but a real proper visit with tea?

Just a heads up, I'm not quite finished re-covering the chairs in the library, so watch where you sit, yeah? The stripey one is still a work-in-progress and may have some sticky-up bits, and the dark blue one isn't tacked down properly yet. And I'm nearly finished clearing out the hallway closet on the ground floor, apologies for the dust.

And no, Sirius, I haven't gone round the twist. I'm experimenting to see if we can't sort out something so we don't have to keep tiptoeing around a portrait.

I've been having contractions for the last hour and a half or so. Snape is working on something that should help calm things down, and we're looking up various diagnostic tests to make sure everything is as it ought to be.

Poppy, I know you're up to your ears in it. I'll keep you informed if anything else happens.

I'm wondering

I know it's been a stressful week for me, which might be part of it, but Cecelia might be in a similar position. It started not soon after the Octoboros business was supposed to happen. So just in case, Alice, you might want to track her down, see if she's all right. Snape's making a double dose just in case.

That private party finally confirmed (kept us waiting til the last minute, but we need the dosh, business has been slow), so we'll need all hands on Sunday, and Merlin knows how late they'll be staying.

Tuesday instead? I can come up there, you can see if Bap will decide to give a command performance (felt a few kicks this morning, so chances are good), and I can have a proper week-end even if it's a few days late.

Hydra,

I've been meaning to write since you left for school. Really, I meant to find a time to ask after you when I'd heard that OWL marks had come out. What I heard was that you're owed congratulations for having swept them with all Os.

I confess that made me uneasy. That and the fact that you've been training with the other person I know who swept his OWLs. My foster brother gives that sort of intelligence a bad name, rather. I hope he's treated you well enough, training you. I couldn't stand that--luckily I'm not the one aiming for work with the Aurors! (I wonder sometimes if it's anything you want to do or whether you're doing it because you can and feel you must.)

At least you've escaped to Hogwarts and don't have to take orders from the Grouch for a while. Are things going well? (I did read what Desai wrote. I thought it sounded exciting, actually, in a terrible sort of way. I think I'll suggest Frank make our training a bit more like that!)

All the same here. I keep getting larger and slower, while Bea keeps getting quicker. You can guess how that's working out!

Aunt Narcissa, I've been thinking about you, wondering how you are. I hope you're finding some comfort in these days.

Is there anything I could do for you? or bring to you?

Could I bring Albia and have a visit with you, maybe? She's quite good company, really. You'll be amazed at how grown up she is.

Charlie and I are still on for tomorrow, but we've been handed a bit of a side mission by Albus. It means that as soon as the newly activating stone gets found, we need to both be called if we're the ones chasing our tails in the wrong location.

Albus has a rite he wants us to perform along the ley, as close as is practical to the activation site.

I'll brief you tomorrow, but it's going to require some of the rest of you watching a perimeter around us while we do it. The rite. I'll explain. Or Charlie will.

Thank you both for making this such a nice, relaxing Mother's day. Sirius, they told me it was you remembered how much I liked the sweet buns from Lomax's. They're still the best!

And, Remus, you were so good with Bea, helping her make my brekkie. And bring it up! How did you get Kreacher to allow that? Sirius, was it you that got her the ruffled pinny? She was so pleased with it.

We could get her a little domestic's cap and teach her to help Ellie at the shop. She'd love it. Shame we can't trust her over there.

Oh, and which of you helped her with the card? I didn't dare ask if that was meant to be me in the picture. Or a pony. Or something altogether else!


Are we going to see you back here tonight, Sirius? All well up there?

Last weekend's training went so well, Frank and I want to do it again.

Open to anyone who can make it. Tell the ones who haven't got journals?

If you didn't come last week, do come along. It's an excellent chance to test yourself against new opponents and to cross-pollinate a bit--the Longbottom School of Subterfuge and Survival has a somewhat different repertoire of techniques than those taught at that castle up north. And those of us who left school before Lestrange and Dolohov arrived have a few tricks in our holsters you lot may not have tried... and vice versa. It's good fun, hard work, and a healthy challenge.

Word of warning: don't underestimate Colin. (Ask Finbar if you doubt me.)

We're making a trip to Bedford tomorrow with the group who chose to go there. The plan is we'll go in small clusters to the station. We'll catch the 10:07 to Peterborough, some of us, and the rest will take the 11:14, and we've found three proper Axminsters to carry everyone from the station to Bedford. Remus checked the disillusionment charms on them, and Sirius and Bea had a bit of fun testing the smoothness of the ride. At low altitude, mind you, and just in the garden this morning after breakfast. But they seem to be in good trim.

That said, I'm afraid the idea of flying carpets is not making all of our travellers happy. But we're trying to be reassuring and focus on the positive aspects: it'll be a smoother ride than it would be in a cart on country roads, and it should take less time, especially as there'll be less chance of making a wrong turning out in those unfamiliar lanes.

Well, I'm sure it will all be all right once we're in Peterborough and Bedford's just a short skip away.

Oh, and I meant to say! Thanks, Molly, and everyone else who sent along warm things for them. We've been having our annual cloak share here at the garden, too, and I think betwixt and between we'll have enough largish outer wraps to keep them from looking too conspicuous while we're travelling.